


The Serpents of the Subway

by Kamahontas



Series: "Make her yours forever" [3]
Category: Remember Me (2010)
Genre: Changes in Life, Comfort, F/M, Gen, Love in NYC, NYC, Overcoming the fear, Romance in NYC, Subway, Support, supportive boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 06:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15943643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamahontas/pseuds/Kamahontas
Summary: Ally decides to finally fight her fear of riding the subway and Tyler gives her best support ever.





	The Serpents of the Subway

The third week of the academic year has started and Ally was already tired of walking from East Village to Washington Square Park and back each day. She decided to overcome her fear of using the subway at last. Walking with Tyler was great, but they were spending at least two hours a day on getting to school, while with subway it was half this time. On Saturday morning, while they sat on the emergency staircase with their cups of coffee, she looked at her boyfriend with a smile.  
  
“So, I guess it’s time I finally stop acting like a baby and use subway like any other citizen of New York City.” She said seriously, though she still had a smile on her face. “You know I love walking with you every morning and afternoon, but it takes so long to get to our lectures! It’s time to use the subway.”  
  
“Are you sure?” He asked surprised; he liked the idea though. Tyler adored his walks with Ally at his side, but they were already late twice because they had to walk. “Want me to go with you?” He knew very well how difficult it had to be for his girlfriend to overcome the fear and get on the subway after ten years of avoiding it.  
“Could you?!” Alyssa asked excitedly. With Tyler, it would be so much easier!  
  
“Why, of course!” He replied with a warm smile. “Anything you need. Just let me know when you’re ready for that, and we’re going to the closest subway station and we try.” He said warmly, taking Ally in his arms. “You know that I will always help you with anything you need.” He whispered, hiding his face in her blond curls. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you, too.” She replied nuzzling her head in the creek of his neck. “Thanks, it really means a lot.”  
  
“That’s what you have me for. I will always help and support you. I know I’ve done a lot of horrible things in my life, but I want to change and be the man you deserve.”  
  
“Tyler, you already have changed. You started to treat life seriously and I see that. You’ve changed since we met, I saw it.” Ally said clinging to her boyfriend even stronger.  
  
“You know what the hardest lesson I ever got was? Our breakup. That’s when I fully realized that I’ve been a horrible asshole and…”  
  
“Tyler, stop.” She cut him off with a warm smile and placed her index finger against his lips to stop her boyfriend from talking. “Everything’s fine, please stop blaming yourself, okay? You made a mistake, but we explained everything. Now come on, I'll make us breakfast and then we’ll think what to do today. Unless you have something planned? You don’t work today, do you?”  
  
“No, I have two days off and I hoped to spend them with you.” He chuckled as they climbed through the window back to their apartment and narrowed their steps to the kitchen.  
  
“So… could we… go to see my dad? And no cab, no cars, just subway?” Alyssa asked with a smile and looked at surprised Tyler.  
  
“Of course, whenever you want.” He replied with a warm smile and held his girlfriend tight. “I’ll go get us tickets then. I’ll be back soon.” He said and went to the hall to put on his shoes.  
  
“Thank you.” Ally smiled and sat on the high stool placed between the kitchen and the living room. “I’ll make us breakfast in the meantime. French toast or pancakes?”  
  
“I usually say ‘doesn’t matter’, but oddly enough today I’m really hungry for pancakes with syrup and some eggs.” He chuckled happily.  
  
“Sure.” She replied and as she walked up to him, she kissed him softly. “Everything will be ready when you’re back.”  
  
Their relationship was perfect. They were together for only a few months, excluding a few days when Ally stayed with her father, but they were like a good old marriage. They hardly ever argued, unless it was more of teasing each other. Their love was strong and honest. Tyler was still amazed how was it even possible that after so much wrong Alyssa still wanted to be with him. He couldn't be happier. His life had changed a lot since he met Ally and he loved the changes.

  


Not much later Tyler was back home with the tickets. He entered the apartment and as he closed the door behind him, he walked to the kitchen where Ally waited for him.  
  
“Hey.” He said with a smile. “Remind me to fix our bolt before we leave, it got loose again.” He chuckled. “Damn, why they can’t make solid ones? It’s the second time this month when I have to fix it, and it’s friggin’ brand new!”  
  
“Yeah, well, maybe I just gotta remember to close the door without actually shutting them.” She chuckled and cracked the eggs pouring them on the frying pan. “Anyway, eggs scrambled or fried?”  
  
“Scrambled if you don’t mind.” He replied with a smile and as he walked up to his girlfriend, he kissed her softly. “Thanks.”  
  
“Anything for you.” He replied with a happy chuckle. “So, did you get the tickets?”  
  
“Yeah, we’re good. Just in case I got us more rides, so if you decide that’s our new way of getting to our lectures, we’ll be covered for a few days. And then we can get the monthly ones.”  
  
“Good.” She smiled and made his plate and placed it on the table at his usual spot. “Where’s Aiden, by the way? I checked, he’s not in his bed and he wasn’t there at night.”  
  
“Maybe he’s conquering another continent again?” Tyler grinned playfully. “He mentioned this girl from Europe, he might be with her. You never know with him.” They both laughed at his remark and as they sat at the table Tyler looked at Ally. “So, are we gonna surprise your dad, or you already called him that we’re coming?” He asked chewing on a pancake.  
  
“I called him to check if he’s not going to see his friends in Patchock, but I didn’t tell him we’re gonna get to his by subway. This I’m gonna tell him when we’re there.” Ally grinned and finished off her food. “God, he spent a fortune on the cab fare! When he or Mrs. Lipman couldn’t drive me to university, I was taking a cab!”  
  
Tyler listened to his girlfriend and started to wonder why she never used the subway in the first place. He never dared to ask before, but now he gained the courage to do so.  
  
“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be mean or anything, but why you actually never take the subway? I’m sorry for saying this, but you seem to be really afraid of it…” He asked uneasily, unsure of how Alyssa would react. He didn’t have to worry though, she smiled warmly at him and walked around the table to stand next to him. She rubbed his cheek with her fingertips and kissed him softly before sitting on his lap. She took a deep breath and looked into his dark eyes.  
  
“I should have told you the whole story long ago. My Mom and I were going back from her friend’s house in Brooklyn. I was eleven years old. It was May, and we weren’t going home very late at night, but it was completely dark already, but warm. We were waiting for the subway at 18th Avenue and McDonald’s. The station was almost empty, there were only two teens and us. The train approached, but before it stopped the boys robbed my Mom. They took everything from her, but the wedding ring. They didn’t notice that she dropped it. They got on the train, but my Mom was looking at them, so they opened the door and shot her, right into her heart.” Ally said sadly, resting her head in the creek of Tyler’s neck. “She was protecting me, I was just behind her…” She said with her voice sting, but she stopped the tears. She knew that she needed to be strong.  
  
“Oh, God…” He had no idea what to tell his girlfriend, so he only held her tight and apologized. “I’m so sorry, Ally. I didn’t want to upset you.”  
  
“Hey, it’s okay, babe.” She whispered and kissed him again. “It’s okay, I promise. I know I will never get over it, but thanks to you I don’t hide anything and I know that if I need, I can tell you everything. With you, everything is easier and I will be forever grateful for you being in my life.”  
  
“And I’m grateful for you.” He whispered softly and held Ally tighter, kissing the top of her head. “You are my everything.”

An hour later they were at the Union Square Station. Before they entered, Tyler stopped and held Ally’s hand.  
  
“Don’t be afraid, okay? I’ll be by your side for all the time. It’s only four stops and then we’ll change the train for the one that will take us near your dad’s. Come on, let’s go.” He smiled tenderly and gave her hand a gentle and tender squeeze. They went downstairs to the platform and Tyler never stopped holding Ally’s hand. She was very grateful to him for that. They already rode a bus a week ago, but the subway was something different, something that was scaring her to the bone. It was extremely difficult for Ally to overcome her fear and just walk down the stairs, then validate the ticket and walk to the platform. She looked at the screen with the schedule; they still had seven minutes before the train. She stood close to Tyler and he took her in his arms, resting his forehead against hers.  
  
“It’s alright,” he whispered softly. “Look, there are lots of people here, you’re safe.”  
  
“I know.” She replied with a big smile. “I’m here with you, so nothing bad can happen. I’m not afraid anymore. It’s alright.” Suddenly Ally got so relieved, totally convinced that nothing can happen. All her fear disappeared thanks to Tyler so tenderly holding her in his arms. Something new had started for her and she loved it. No more fear, no more hesitating. Thanks to her boyfriend she could overcome her greatest phobia. She never thought she could ever do this, but Tyler gave her strength, the courage to try and now she knew that she will never fear using the subway or any other way of public transport. All her worries and doubts, about everything disappeared. She could finally truly move forward and think more about the future.  
  
“There it comes.” Ally smiled seeing the train approaching. “Dad will be so surprised! Oh, and I already know it, when we run out of rides on our tickets, we’re getting monthly one. No more long walks from home to lectures.” She said excitedly.  
  
“Sounds good to me, even though I really enjoy our walks.” Tyler chuckled as they got on the train and sat at the end of the car. He could tell that Ally wasn’t afraid anymore, but he put his arm around her shoulders to make sure that she feels safe. “You okay?” He asked kissing the top of her head.  
  
“Yes. Everything is more than okay.” She replied happily.

An hour later they reached Neil’s house. He was mowing the front yard, but when he saw his daughter walking holding hands with her boyfriend, he gave them a warm smile.  
  
“Good to see you two.” He said and hugged Ally and then shook hands with Tyler. “Were you walking all the way from home?” He asked confused not seeing any cab or car near.  
  
“No, we actually came by subway.” Ally replied happily. “Thanks to Tyler I overcame the fear and finally tried. After over ten years I finally did it, dad.” She couldn’t help but smile even brighter. Alyssa was so happy to finally get over with the fear and felt a great relief.  
  
“Really?” Neil asked with a bright smile and looked at Tyler. “You’re not kidding, are you?”  
  
“No, sir. Ally decided to try and I was happy to go with her, just in case. But she didn’t need me. She’s very strong.”  
  
“I wouldn’t do this without you.” Alyssa smiled and kissed her boyfriend. “You gave me the strength and courage to do this. You are my greatest support.”  
  
Neil smiled again as he watched his daughter and her boyfriend. He couldn’t believe how great influence Tyler had on Ally.  
  
“Thank you, Tyler.” Neil smiled warmly and for the first time ever, he hugged his future son-in-law. “You have no idea how grateful I am for your help. You’ve done to Ally more than you think.”  
  
“That’s what she has me for, to support her.” He replied with a smile as the older man pulled away. Tyler then looked at his girlfriend and as he grabbed her hand, he pulled her into his embrace. “And I always will.” He added with a happy smile. “You were very brave, honey.” He whispered into her ear. “I’m proud of you.”  
  
Ally smiled at his words and nuzzled her face in the creek of his neck.  
  
“I did this only thanks to you.” She whispered softly.  
  
Neil watched the couple with a warm and happy smile. Tyler gave Alyssa the strength to overcome her fears and move forward, and this is something that only love can do, for only love can fight even these most difficult obstacles.


End file.
